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Article: Banning longlines for loggerheads.(THIS WEEK)(Brief article)
- Article from:
- Our Planet
- Article date:
- May 4, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Earth Action Network, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In a move intended to help stave off extinction for endangered sea turtles, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced new restrictions last week on so-called "longline" fishing techniques in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida's west coast. Per the new rules, commercial fishermen in the Gulf will have to put their longlines away between May and October, when sea turtles feed and breed in the area.
The ban comes after studies have shown that as many as 1,000 sea turtles--80% of them endangered loggerheads--were being snagged every 18 months in longline gear, which is used by about 100 Tampa-based commercial ...